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(No Model.) 2 SheetsS11eet 1.

W. P. GLASS. 7

STEAM ENGINE. No. 380,991. Patented Apr.'10, 1888."

N. Pnzns Fho'o-Iilhogl'phsr, Washington. Bic

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. CLASS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO JOHN H. HARRIS AND ISIDOR BAGHARAGH, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,991. dated April 10, 1888.

Application filed September 1. 1886. Renewed February 27,1888. Serial No. 265,437. No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. Crass, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam, Air, and Hydraulic Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improvementin motors or engines particularly applicable for use in connection with an air-forcing or aircompressing apparatus, although serviceable for many other purposes and susceptible of be ing driven either by hydraulic pressure or by the expansive force of steam.

The objects of my improvement are to provide a simple, compact, and efficient construction; to provide desirable means for suddenly and effectively cutting off the inflow and establishing the discharge to and from the piston-cylinder; to provide a simple and reliable arrangement of valves and valve-operating devices which shall insure eertainty of action andanimmediateandtightclosingofthevalvesat the desired times, and to provide certain features of detail, all tending to the general efficiency of the apparatus.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other useful ends my invention consists in matters hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents in side elevation an engine or motor embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a top plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken through the valve-chamber alone. 7 Fig. 4 is a detail view. Fig. 5 represents the apparatus partly in end elevation and partly in vertical section on a plane transversely to and centrally of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken through the valvechamber at right angles to Fig. 3.

In said drawings, A indicates the piston-cylinder, wherein the piston, provided with an ordinary piston-rod, B,- is arranged to work in the usual way.

The shell or casing of the valvechamber 0 lies alongside of and may be conveniently bolted to the piston-cylinder in any ordinary or approved manner. The valve-chamber is subdivided into several sub-compartments or sub-spaces by means of a set of four transversely-arranged partitions, F, each provided with a centrally-disposed conical-shaped port, f, in order that said sub-compartments may communicate with one another, in the manner hereinafter specified.

The valve-rod D, which is arranged to work centrally and longitudinally through the valvechamber, extends centrally through the ports f of the transverse partitions F, and is provided with two double conical elastic valves, E.

The partitions F are grouped or arranged in couples or pairs within the valve-chamber, and the double conical valves are disposed upon the valve-rod, so that one valve shall operate between the two partitions of one pair while the other valve shall operate between two par titions of the remaining pair, it being observed that the two partitions herein designated as a pair are in each instance set apart at adistance equal to the stroke of the reciprocating valve-rod, in order that the valve between the two partitions of a pair may first seat to close the port through one partition and then seat to close the port through the opposite partition.

Fluid is admitted into the valve-chamber at or about the middle thereof and at a point between the two pairs of transverse partitions.

Fig. 5 serves to illustrate the joint 0 of an inlet-pipe which connects with a pipe or neck, 0 arranged to connect with the valve-chamber at a point between the ends of the latter, the portion of the device shown above the said joint 0 being merelyillustrative of the outline of a common form of pressure-regulator,which is shown in order to further illustrate one of the uses of my present improvement. In Fig. 3 the lower end of the passage of the neck or pipe 0 is represented in dotted lines, so as to further show the position of the same relative to the partitions F in the valvechamber.

The two spaces or compartments 0, intermediate of each of the two partitions F of each TOG pair or couple of partitions, connect with opposite ends of the piston-cylinder, respectively, through one and the other of the two passages 0 while the two spaces or chambers 0, respectively at one and the other of the two ends of the valve chamber, both connect through the discharge-openings C with adischarge'passage which is common to both, and which in Fig. 5 is formed through the pipe 0 The valves E are made of double conical shape and ofsome suitable elastic material, so that they may seat tightly and be compressed within the ports f, it being observed that on each pair or couple ofpartitions F the conical ports therein taper in opposite directions, so as to adapt them to alternately receive the valve allotted to them. Under such arrangement, when the valve-rodhas made a stroke in one direction, the port of one of each pair of partitions F will be closed,whereby the pistoncylinder will at one end be in open com munication with the fluid-inlet pipe 0" through the medium of one of the intermediate compartments, c,w hile the opposite end ofthe cylinder will be in open communication with the discharge-pipe 0 through the medium of the other one of the intermediate compartments, c, and the end compartment or space, 0', next adjacent to such intermediate compartment, it being obvious that under such conditions the first-mentioned compartment 0, which is at all times in communication with the piston-cylinder, will be in open communication with the main or middle portion, 0 of the valve-chamber through one of the ports f, while, on the other hand, the oppositely-arranged chamber c, which is likewise at all times in open communication with the piston-cylinder, will at such juncture be closed as to the middle or inletportion,c ,of the valve chamber, but open as to one of the exhaust or discharge ports 0* through the medium of one of the portsf. A reverse stroke on the part of the valve'rod will ofcourse reverse the inflow and outflow of the fluid employed. The conical form of the elastic valves permits them to seat tight in the ports f, yet allows them to be readily withdrawn from their seats, and by making the valve double-cone-shaped and arranging the partitions as herein shown a short stroke only of the valve-rod is required and an efficient action attained, it being here observed thatin case hydraulic pressure is employed a more perfect closing of the valves is required than in case steam is used, since the expansive force of steam will assist in closing a valve.

The valve-rod is at one end connected by a lateral connection, K, to a reciprocatory rod, 1, which latter is arranged to slide through appropriate supports and disposed alongside the casing of the valve-chamber parallel with the valve-rod. This slide-rod I is at a proper point provided with an arm or lateral projection, J, which projects in the path of a pair of arms upon a weighted vibratory lever, P, in such a way that at suitable times the projection upon the slide-rod can be struck by one or the other of the arms of the vibrating lever, so as to suddenly shift the slide-rod and consequently shift the valve-rod.

The vibratory lever is operated from the piston as follows: The piston-rod is connected by a rod or suitable connection, L, witha reciprocating rack bar, M, which is arranged parallel with the slide-rod I, but somewhat below the same. The rack bar M is reciprocated with an end movement by the piston, and is arranged to engage a gear or pinion, M,which is loosely mounted upon a horizontal fixed pivot, C located below the rack-bar and rigid with the shell or casing of the valve-chamber or with any other appropriate fixture. The gear or pinion N, being thus engaged by the reciprocating rack, will be caused to make a series of partial revolutions alternately in opposite directions, and, being loose upon thelixed or stationary stud or pivot C", will necessarily turn independently of the same. This oscillatory pinion Nis provided upon one side with a couple of studs or lateral projections, U, which can be conveniently formed by the end walls of a segmental gap on the pinion.

The lever P, which is also loosely hung upon the fixed stud or pivot 0 is at a point adjacent to its inner end, which is hung uponthe fixed pivot, provided with a lateral stud or projection, R, arranged to project between the two studs or lateral projections L of the loose pinion. In this way the oscillatory movements of the pinion, which is loose upon the pivot (l and independent of the loosely-hung lever, will cause the studs or projections L of the pinion to alternately engage the stud or projection R of the weighted lever, in order to throw the lever from one side to the other, it being understood that when the lever is being raised from its position at one side of the pivot C it will, as soon as it has been shifted to and carried slightly beyond the center of gravity, rapidly swing over to the other side. The lever is provided with an adjustable weight, S, to promote its action at the lastmentioned juncture, and is further provided with two arms, L, each desirably,but not neces sarily, carrying a small anti-friction roller, U, at its outer end. These antifriction rollers, or the arms themselves where the rollers are dispensed with, are to alternately engage the projection J'upon the slide-rod I, so as to shift the valve-rod, it being seen that as soon as the lever passes its highest position in either direction and begins its quick drop or down swing one of its arms will engage the projection J on the sliderod, and thereby give a quick shift to the two valves.

During the operation of the motor or engine the rack. is continuously reciprocated from the piston and the loose gear or pinion is continuously oscillated by the reciprocating rack,while, on the other hand, thelever,which is hung independently of the gear or pinion,

is actuated intermittingly and thereby caused to intermittingly actuate the slide-rod L,which in turn shifts the single valve-rod provided with a couple of valves.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The valve-chamber subdivided by the two pairs 01": transversely-arranged partitions F, having conical ports, in combination with the sliding valve-rod provided with a pair of double conical elastic valves, E, each disposed to work between two of said partitions, substantially as set forth, the said valve-chamber being at its end compartments, 0, connected with a discharge-passage, at its middle con nected with an inlet-passage, and at its intermediate compartments, 0, connected with passages leading to the ends of a piston-cylinder,

substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination,with the piston-rod, of the reciprocating rack-bar M, connected to the piston-rod and reciprocating in unison therewith, theloosely-mounted oscillatory pinion N, engaged by the said rack-bar and provided with a pair of lateral studs or projections, the vibratory weighted lever P, hung independently of the oscillatory pinion and actuated intermittingly by the studs or lateral projections of said pinion, and a valve mechanism for controlling the supply and discharge to and from the piston-cylinder, comprising a slide-rod, I, having a projection standing between and in the path of a pair of arms with which the weighted lever is provided, substantially as described.

3. The combination,with the valvechamber subdivided by partitions F, of the valve-rod provided with a pair of valves disposed relatively to the said partitions, substantially as set forth, the slide-rod Lfor shifting the valverod, and vibratory weighted lever adapted for intermittingly engaging a stud or projection, J, upon the slide-rod I, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the steam-cylinder, piston rod, and a suitable connection, L,with the rack bar M, the pinion provided with studs, and the weighted lever provided with the arms L, the rod I, provided with a stop or projection for the arms to strike against, the valve-rod provided with valves, and the valve-chamber provided with valve-seats substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM F. CLASS.

'Witnesses:

JOHN H. HARRIS, ISIDOR BAOHARAOH. 

